The Metal Man () is a

beacon A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port. More mode ...

off the coast of the

Rosses Point Peninsula The Rosses Point Peninsula () is a small peninsula in the centre of Sligo Bay in County Sligo, Ireland. The peninsula shares its name with the village of Rosses Point, a popular seaside resort located on the peninsula's southern coast, roughly ...

County Sligo County Sligo ( , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Northern and Western Region and is part of the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht. Sligo is the administrative capital and largest town in ...

, Ireland. Metal Man Sligo

There are other similar Metal Men beacons in Tramore, County Waterford and Dalky (Nerrano Man ), County Dublin.

History

The Metal Man is a freestanding painted

cast iron Cast iron is a class of iron–carbon alloys with a carbon content of more than 2% and silicon content around 1–3%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloying elements determine the form in which its car ...

statue of a

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

petty officer of the

Age of Sail The Age of Sail is a period in European history that lasted at the latest from the mid-16th (or mid-15th) to the mid-19th centuries, in which the dominance of sailing ships in global trade and warfare culminated, particularly marked by the int ...

. It is placed between

Rosses Point Rosses Point ( or ) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland and also the name of the surrounding peninsula. Rosses Point is at the entrance to Sligo Harbour from Sligo Bay with Oyster Island being the long thin landmass notable when entering th ...

and Oyster Island. It was cast in 1819 by Thomas Kirke in London. It was placed on Perch Rock in 1821. It was originally made for the Blackrock Beacon, but Sligo merchants suggested it be placed on Perch Rock. It has an identical twin beacon in

Tramore Tramore (; ) is a seaside town in County Waterford, on the southeast coast of Ireland. It has a population of 11,277 as per the 2022 census, the second largest town in the county. Overview Originally a small fishing village, the area saw rapi ...

, County Waterford. From 16 October 1908, an acetylene light was placed beside the beacon. In 1934, it was changed from a single red flash every 3 seconds to a double red flash every 5 seconds. From 2003, it was converted from gas to solar power, and is only illuminated at night. The Metal Man was depicted in paintings several times by Jack Butler Yeats, including in ''Memory Harbour''. There is a campaign undertaken by a local group which has been highlighting the deteriorating condition of the beacon called Save the Metal Man.

References

{{Authority control Lighthouses in the Republic of Ireland Lighthouses completed in 1821 Buildings and structures in County Sligo Lighthouses on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage

History

See also

References